Who better to take romance advice from than the man behind all of your favorite love stories?
John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns (among other great books), is, at this point, essentially a teen love life guru. In the past, Green has dolled out relationship advice to Seventeen magazine, and has taken to his YouTube channel, VlogBrothers -- which he runs with his brother, Hank -- to discuss his own teenage romance struggles and help others get through theirs.
Now the author offers answers to some fans' questions about love and life in a recent Q&A in the August issue of Seventeen Magazine. Check out what he had to say!
NOTE: Seventeen’s August issue hits stands on July 7. Scroll down to see snippets of John Green's love life advice and head over to Seventeen.com for more.
What is a surefire way to know if someone likes you?(Mariah, 16, West, Orange, NJ)
I hate to say this but you have to use your words. In my experience, the best thing to do is just ask, "Do you like me?" That's how my wife and I got together. It can be awkward and uncomfortable and it's not easy. If you don't want to say it so directly, you can do something like ask them out for coffee.
My crush at school is kind of nerdy. I'm nervous my friends will tease me if we start dating. How should I handle it?(Rachel, 17, Miami, FL)
If you like somebody, then go for it. If your friends are good friends, they will come to accept that person and see their great qualities, too. One of the things I love about being a nerd is that I get to be unironically enthusiastic. I don't have to be embarrassed by my passions and interests, and I think that's a really good quality in a romantic partner.
(btw, definitely not the first time John's given advice on "Nerd Love")
What do guys really think about girls that make the first move?Sarah, 18, East Greenbush, NY
You get to see that she's the kind of person who confident enough and interested enough in you to make the first move — and that's pretty cool. Any guy who thinks it's inappropiate for the girl to ask him out is probably not the kind of guy you want to be dating anyway. When I was in high school, I was always psyched if a girl asked me out. Whether it worked out or not, it always showed a little bit of moxie.
I'm stuck in the "hooking up" stage with this guy, but it's so up and down. How do I deal?(Brittany, 21, Charleston, SC)
It depends on what you want. There is nothing wrong with doing that unless it's not what you're looking for. The most important thing is not to feel used and not to feel obligated to do stuff with someone who you don't think is interested in you the same way. If you want more emotional intimacy then your partner is willing to provide, then it's probably best to go different ways.
Check out Seventeen's August issue (with covergirl Shay Mitchell!) for more of John's love life advice!
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